A frazzled England lost three early wickets after Shubman Gill hit a masterful maiden double century as India assumed total control of the second Test on day two at Edgbaston.
Gill’s 269 from 387 balls on the most docile of surfaces, an innings which featured 30 fours and three sixes and propelled the visitors from 211-5 to 587 all out, is the highest score by an Indian in England, eclipsing the 221 struck by Sunil Gavaskar at The Oval in 1979.
The classy, chanceless knock, filled with watchful batting and peerless drives and scored in front of a passionate travelling support, came after India had been inserted by England captain Ben Stokes on day one for the second match in succession.
England pulled off a chase of 371 in Leeds, quietening those who had questioned Stokes’ decision to bowl first, but they will have to go some to repeat that, with Gill then starring in the field as the hosts closed on 77-3 having tumbled to 25-3 amid a sea of loose strokes.
Gill took a stunning diving catch at slip for the first of two wickets in as many balls – that grab removing Headingley hero Ben Duckett (0) before Ollie Pope also bagged a blob as he snicked to KL Rahul.
Akash Deep, playing in place of the rested Jasprit Bumrah, removed Duckett and Pope in the third over with some new-ball swing, before Mohammed Siraj then forced Zak Crawley (19) to edge a ball that nipped away in the eighth, with England’s top three all perhaps suffering from weary minds and bodies after 151 overs in the field.
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Watch how Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope were dismissed for ducks and Zak Crawley 19 as England slipped to 25-3
Harry Brook (30no), who played skittishly at times and almost fell onto his stumps in the final over, and Joe Root (18no) then stitched an unbroken alliance of 52 from 81 deliveries to take England through to stumps.
More to follow.
Watch day three of the second Test between England and India live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10.15am Friday (11am first ball) or stream without a contract.
England vs India – results and schedule
All games at 11am UK and Ireland; all on Sky Sports
First Test (Headingley) – England won by five wicketsSecond Test (Edgbaston): July 2-6Third Test (Lord’s): July 10-14Fourth Test (Emirates Old Trafford): July 23-27Fifth Test (The Kia Oval): July 31-August 4
